If I had to plot out and embroider a large-ish beaded tapestry all in one go, I’d drive myself madder than I already am. Thankfully, through the magic of piecework and applique, I can do little bits of it at a time, while aiming for that final 24″ x 36″ wall hanging piece.
Some of you will say 24″ x 36″ is not that big for art. You’re right. I could paint that in a day or two in acrylics on canvas.
Beadwork embroidery is a whole new universe of slow frustration and tiny victories. There’s a reason it’s been almost ten years since my last big tapestry piece. (This thing: Two Trees, which is ‘only’ 54″ long).
But the new baby will be a (for me) massive project, one of those aimed at museums and high-end galleries, and priced at around $5K when it’s done.
The working title will be either ‘Prayer For Rain’, or ‘Borealis’. I have two big tapestry pieces planned, worked in beadwork embroidery with original prose and poetry embroidered among the motifs. The first has been in sketch stage since 2000; the other is a comparative youngster with its gouache sketches dating from 2005. Both have text already written, and both have five or six acrylic-painted fabric appliques ready for beads and embroidery thread.
This ‘Spring Moon’ piece would do equally well as filler for either one.